Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with memoryhttp://ask.metafilter.com/tags/memory
Questions tagged with 'memory' at Ask MetaFilter.Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:14:09 -0800Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:14:09 -0800en-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60I'd unravel every riddle...http://ask.metafilter.com/303186/Id%2Dunravel%2Devery%2Driddle
How do you rebuild cognitive strength while dealing with an extended illness? The past couple of years, I've been dealing with kidney decline and eventual failure due to a genetic issue. One thing that surprised me was the cognitive effect of this particular illness: I'm having trouble with memory, focus, recall, and problem-solving. Analytical skills, too. <br>
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I'll stop dead in the middle of a sentence because I can't recall the word I was thinking of. I try to read and within five pages, everything just blurs into words and I forget what I've read. I'll watch an hourlong murder mystery and sometimes confuse or even forget entire characters by the end of the episode. I had to re-up my insurance the other day and it took me a whole day to read through the different plans and figure out how to calculate the premiums and pick one. It's like everything has soft edges. <br>
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The doctors I've spoken to call it "brain fog" and say it's pretty normal for patients like me. But it's frustrating. I used to be relatively good at this sort of thing, and my past jobs and independent livelihood depended on these skills and the ability to pick up on complex issues pretty quickly. I'm not working right now (which is generally a good thing) but I feel like maybe being out of the loop is multiplying the effect.<br>
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Ultimately, my goal is to get back to work sometime in 2017. Most of my previous jobs (proposal writing, technical writing, project management, account management -- all in technical fields) have required strengths in these areas. Lots of compiling and analyzing data and translating it out for different audiences. <br>
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So what should I be doing to build my brain back up? I want to improve memory, focus, recall, problem-solving, and analytical skills. I've been trying those grid logic puzzles lately, but if I do any beyond the easiest, I lose my train of thought and have to keep starting over. Suduko, I just stare at.<br>
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Some days are way better than others, and sleep/energy levels seem to play a big role. I'd just like to be more consistent and hopefully work my way back up to normal.tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.303186Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:14:09 -0800mochapickleHow many channel numbers do people remember?http://ask.metafilter.com/302180/How%2Dmany%2Dchannel%2Dnumbers%2Ddo%2Dpeople%2Dremember
It occurred to me today that I only know about six TV channel numbers anymore, and I was wondering whether that was particularly low. Is there any research into this? Back in the olden days, you had to remember that 2 was your local CBS affiliate and 4 was your local NBC and 63 was that UHF station that ran horror movies, but you really only had to remember half a dozen or so. But then came cable, and I remember knowing virtually all of the few-dozen cable channels by number back then. Now, though? Thanks to searching by title and DVR programming and whathaveyou, I only remember like six, and half of those are "anchors" for nearby stations (ESPN is 229, and all the other sports channels are in that neighborhood, so I can click over to that and then scroll the guide until I find the particular game I need).<br>
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Has anyone looked into this?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.302180Thu, 03 Nov 2016 08:54:49 -0800EtriganMy parents forgot I was raped - really confused about how to proceedhttp://ask.metafilter.com/301900/My%2Dparents%2Dforgot%2DI%2Dwas%2Draped%2Dreally%2Dconfused%2Dabout%2Dhow%2Dto%2Dproceed
So, in the wake of all the conversation about triggers/sexual assault happening in the USA right now, I shared an article about how this campaign has been demoralizing to survivors of sexual assault and briefly mentioned my own story (basically, I was sexually assaulted by an acquaintance. My parents responded to my post saying "WHY DID YOU NEVER TELL US?" The thing is, I did. 10 years ago. And 3 years ago. And I have no idea how to proceed. I deleted their comments and said "You know, I appreciate your support, but I'm afraid this will derail the conversation and make it more about something that happened to me versus rape culture. And, their reaction would totally make sense if they didn't think I had told them. But I am certain that I have told them about it multiple times.<br>
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I'm not sure if it's something that makes sense to talk to them about - I'm afraid it will just be a conversation that makes them feel hurt. But I also am really, really confused. This isn't the first time something like this has happened - they claim to have forgotten about my sister's miscarriages, as well as the abusive relationship she was in. But I also feel weird about having to manage their feelings about this when it shouldn't be a surprise. Any advice about how to proceed would be appreciated. Thanks, AskMe!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.301900Tue, 25 Oct 2016 12:37:28 -0800socktothepuppetFilm Filter Question: Naked People and One Man's Journeyhttp://ask.metafilter.com/301869/Film%2DFilter%2DQuestion%2DNaked%2DPeople%2Dand%2DOne%2DMans%2DJourney
I'm trying to remember a movie I saw maybe ten years ago that was two different threads: one involved a man who traveled a lot, had various affairs, and eventually reconnected with his wife. The other involved a white woman and a black man awakening in a Garden of Eden and exploring their new surroundings! Details I remember:<br>
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The man in his travels during the movie spent a lot of time in Africa out on the savanna. I think he was some kind of photographer. While he and his guide were driving along out in the bush, they ran into a tribesman and left him for dead? This part isn't clear to me and I may be confusing it with another movie. In the end, the man went home and reconnected with his wife for a happy ending.<br>
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The actor who plays the man is a Brit actor whom I'm sure I recognized at the time. Not a big time actor, but well known. I think he had blond hair.<br>
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Interspersed throughout the movie were segments of the man and woman in Eden. These segments were in black and white or maybe sepia. They started out rising out of the water of a pond (I think). They did other things as they explored their new world, including standing in the water and discovering the joy of urinating. I am not sure, but I think they ended up discovering civilization as we know it. In the end, their part of the movie was supposed to some kind of symbolic metaphor for the man of the main thread's sexual travails. Or something.<br>
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The naked man and woman were unknown to me.<br>
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You all usually answer my questions like this within one or two replies, so I have great faith in you!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.301869Mon, 24 Oct 2016 19:46:22 -0800FukiyamaPlease help identify this film!http://ask.metafilter.com/301812/Please%2Dhelp%2Didentify%2Dthis%2Dfilm
Sitting around at the pub and a friend is dying to find the name of a film she saw as a child - please release her from this cinematographic purgatory! Here are the details she can recall:<br>
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- set in the deep American South<br>
- maybe set in the 1950s?<br>
- in colour, and definitely an American production<br>
- plot is about a poor redneck family who is sent to a work camp (?); the children are separated from their parents at the camp<br>
- the baddies keep threatening to "set the dogs" on people, and this eventually happens <br>
- the mother of the family <i>may</i> have been Frances McDormand but probably not - she definitely had that type of character, strong and there for her family <br>
- it was seen in the late 90s on Channel Four in England <br>
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If it helps, the dog chase was terrifying! Thanks guys!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.301812Sun, 23 Oct 2016 11:11:24 -0800Ten Cold Hot DogsMorality and genocide memorialshttp://ask.metafilter.com/299193/Morality%2Dand%2Dgenocide%2Dmemorials
I'm going to Cambodia. Should I see memorials/monuments/museums dedicated to the genocide? Two questions:<br>
1. What is the moral implication of visiting genocide museums and memorials? (i.e., In general, is it more moral to visit that to not? Why?)<br>
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2. I think going to genocide memorials in Cambodia will cause me significant distress. Is it important that I go?<br>
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The way-too-much information version: I've been a few places where genocide is memorialized. I would say I think about genocide and associated crimes against humanity a lot, and am well-informed on global affairs, especially in poor countries. I consider working to prevent or mitigate the suffering of the poor and vulnerable the most important. I am working on that professionally and also volunteer and advocate.<br>
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I went to the US Holocaust Museum and was devastated; I am devastated. I have passed genocide memorials in Rwanda but did not visit the museum because I did not think I could handle it. I know a lot about what happened in Rwanda; I am devastated. I know a little bit about what happened in Cambodia; it is devastating. My distress about these events is nothing, at all, compared to what happened. What I am wonder is: would it help other people if I were to see these memorials?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.299193Fri, 12 Aug 2016 10:44:54 -0800quadrilateralsMemory Care in LAhttp://ask.metafilter.com/298090/Memory%2DCare%2Din%2DLA
I might be moving my mother (91) from an assisted living facility outside Boston to the LA area. She has dementia, but is in quite good state. I am looking for any guidance, research, homework, experience, in so called "memory care" facilities in the LA area.<br>
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Bonus points on thoughts of the best way to move her?<br>
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Thanks very much,<br>
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Henrytag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.298090Tue, 12 Jul 2016 16:43:30 -0800silsurfKnocked out by impact. What exactly happened to me?http://ask.metafilter.com/298073/Knocked%2Dout%2Dby%2Dimpact%2DWhat%2Dexactly%2Dhappened%2Dto%2Dme
So this past Sunday I set out on a bike ride with my wife and a friend along the Chicago lakefront and very shortly afterward I took a very bad tumble. I'm okay (bruised, road rashed and a sprained/shocked forearm) but I am mostly curious about what happened to my brain biologically. I assume I was knocked out like Buster Douglas via my jaw's unsuccessful confrontation with planet earth.<br>
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I have bruising along the left side of my jaw but the rest of my head is fine. My bike helmet had some very minor damage (an embedded pebble and the part of the foam where the front chin strap triangle attached on the left side is broken - I know I have to throw it out -single crash use and all that). I have bruises and scrapes all over my left side from the top of my shoulder down my left arm and bruising on the left side and my left leg and a very sore only partially functional right forearm (I think it landed under me)<br>
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I had no headache at all though that may have been masked by how much the rest of me hurt. No signs of concussion detected by either the EMT or the Emergency Room Doctors. Nothing on a CAT scan.<br>
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Yet I was knocked out cold and insensible/incomprehensible for a good 10-20 minutes and have some retrograde amnesia for what happened shortly before and during the accident. I also only have some very spotty recall of the time I was lying on the path incapacitated or how i got onto the stretcher. My wife reports that I was just moaning loudly until I regained some semblance of composure.<br>
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So how does one get knocked unconscious with memory disruption and incoherence and then feel perfectly mentally fine after a very brief period of recovery? Other than the shock (and worries about possible brain injury) I probably would have been able to walk away from that accident without the slightest weave.tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.298073Tue, 12 Jul 2016 10:48:11 -0800srboisvert128 gigs just isn't enough anymorehttp://ask.metafilter.com/297972/128%2Dgigs%2Djust%2Disnt%2Denough%2Danymore
I bought a <a href="http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-13-9343-laptop/pd?oc=frtl13xps5101s">Dell XPS 13 9343</a> about a year ago. I've managed to pretty much fill up the 128 GB capacity of the SSD already. I am contemplating upgrading the memory, which leads me to ponder: Am I crazy to attempt this myself? If so, what should I do instead? If not, what type of memory should I install? Also, what do I do with the SSD currently in my computer if I install a new one? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFXi4HmglZY">This YouTube video</a> makes the upgrade look pretty straightforward. Are there any hidden pitfalls I should be aware of ? Also, I want to be sure I buy the right part. <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Dell+XPS+13+Teardown/36157">This article</a> suggests that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00TGIW1XG/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/">this SSD</a> would be compatible. Does that sound right? <br>
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Finally, is there some kind of box with a port that I could put my old SSD into to use it as a backup? Is that a thing? <br>
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Any guidance appreciated!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.297972Sat, 09 Jul 2016 18:03:08 -0800rerenWhat can I do? I'm in my 30's and I can't memorize anymore.http://ask.metafilter.com/297940/What%2Dcan%2DI%2Ddo%2DIm%2Din%2Dmy%2D30s%2Dand%2DI%2Dcant%2Dmemorize%2Danymore
My job requires me to memorize text on a regular basis. There was a time when I never had any problems memorizing quickly... I've noticed it's become increasingly difficult. This is seriously concerning me. I took 2.5 off from working to help take care of a very ill family member. Upon returning to work,I found that I couldn't memorize like I used to... not even close. At first I thought I was just out of practice, but it's been months now and there hasn't been any improvement.<br>
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Before I was coming up with excuses why I just didn't have it memorized "this time" but The latest example was the one that really made me have to accept my brain doesn't work like it did a couple of years ago. I was given 3 small paragraphs and 10 sentences to memorize in 4 days. In my 20's 4 days would've been MORE than enough time to have these down. Well, knowing that I had been having trouble recently I decided to spend many <strong>hours</strong> of each of the 4 days going over them. I probably spent a total of 20 hours on this small thing and in the end I amazingly still ended up not remembering everything correctly. Everyone else of course had their work down pat- even those that had double the amount to memorize than I did. I fear I will soon be out of a job.<br>
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There are no memory problems in my family and I have a very large family. I'm not forgetting basic daily things like keys or anything like that. I went for a normal checkup at my primary doctor and he said he didn't see anything out of the ordinary.<br>
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Can I fix this problem? Has anyone gone through something similar and found things that worked for them?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.297940Fri, 08 Jul 2016 15:25:29 -0800olivetreeBaristas etc. who must remember multiple orders, got any memory tricks?http://ask.metafilter.com/297847/Baristas%2Detc%2Dwho%2Dmust%2Dremember%2Dmultiple%2Dorders%2Dgot%2Dany%2Dmemory%2Dtricks
I want to volunteer in a cafe or lunch club for at least 3 months, partly from believing in the causes of the ones I am applying for, and partly because I need a current reference (we all do things for a mix of altruistic and self-interest reasons I guess). A couple of weeks ago while with a group someone took an order for 8 teas or coffees in their head including whether sugar or not and milk or not and I was mightily impressed! I'd like to be able to learn this with hypothetical orders friends throw at me for practice, and then demonstrate my ability at an interview for a voluntary job, but I need to know the memory techniques that make it possible. Baristas or chefs etc, how do you remember multiple things without constantly referring back to paper? My last post was about being an office admin, and that is something I am still looking at with my careers adviser, but in looking at actual job adverts for those jobs, it's clear I need to do at least a minimum 3 month stint volunteering to get a current reference first. That is the typical minimum amount expected of volunteers which I accept as fair enough, and I am fine with that also because I will be becoming a distance learning course in October anyway (one year Certificate in Promoting Public Health from the Open University i.e. distance learning) so I am not ready for a while for full-time paid employment, it's something I want to work towards in baby steps. My careers adviser and I identified places like cafes in churches or lunch clubs for older people as the best sorts of environments for me to rebuild my confidence after a long time out of the workforce. I really loved a summer job I had working in a cafe in the Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh many years ago. I am sure I could re-learn how to do it, but I just need to be able to remember orders if there's a few people, and also remember the work instructions for each procedure. At night I can go home and write up my notes on work instructions into something legible, that really has helped me a lot in the past (sometimes even adding photos). However at a group support meet in a community enterprise a couple of weeks ago someone from the cafe took orders from six people for whether they wanted tea and coffee, what milk or sugar etc. and we were all wowed! We said "How do you do that?" and he said "I run a cafe. If I couldn't remember an order like that I couldn't run a cafe" with a smile but I don't know him and didn't want to bug him and persist and ask exactly how he does it, but it was completely no problem for him and I want to have the same confidence that I can take orders for multiple things correctly and accurately as well as cheerfully. Baristas or short order cooks etc, if you are able to do things by memory, what's the technique you use? I know waitstaff write things down on a pad and in Starbucks they write it on a cup, but I'd love to go to a volunteer interview and be able to show I have the memory to make this aspect of the job no problem. Please let me in on the secret!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.297847Wed, 06 Jul 2016 02:47:38 -0800AuroraSkyRemembering a poetry book from my childhoodhttp://ask.metafilter.com/296225/Remembering%2Da%2Dpoetry%2Dbook%2Dfrom%2Dmy%2Dchildhood
What was this anthology book from my childhood?? Read at my grandmother's house in the early to mid 1990s. After the rousing success of <a href="http://ask.metafilter.com/295860/Help-me-find-this-childrens-book-about-sharks">my last book query</a>, I'm brave enough to try this one. <br>
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My grandmother had this children's book that was about the size &amp; page length of a children's bible [it was not a religious book]. It was mainly text and black-and-white drawings, although I remember there were several glossy pages with full-color images on them. <br>
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The illustrations in the book (at least some of them) were silhouettes, and they are similar in style in my mind's eye <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=kara+walker+art&espv=2&biw=1705&bih=636&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipxM_Zj_jMAhVKPz4KHeSiD_EQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9">to Kara Walker's artwork</a>. <br>
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I believe it was a compendium of different stories and/or poems, and I believe the font was serifed. Here are some<a href="http://imgur.com/xXQbAE7"> different fonts that remind me of what it looked like</a>. <br>
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Unfortunately I cannot remember the content very well, but it was definitely very 'Victorian era kittens and good girls and aprons and swingsets yesteryear' type of writing. Practically the definition of what a grandmother would think of for a children's book.<br>
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It was a hardback book, and the cover was white or ivory cloth and I don't believe there was much (if anything) printed on the front or back. I believe the title was printed on the spine. I first encountered the book in the early to mid 1990s. I don't believe it was an antique or more than a decade old. <br>
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I wish I had more details or a better memory for it, but this was so long ago!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.296225Thu, 26 May 2016 09:19:57 -0800amicamentisWhat kind of computer and lighting do I need to record and edit video?http://ask.metafilter.com/295680/What%2Dkind%2Dof%2Dcomputer%2Dand%2Dlighting%2Ddo%2DI%2Dneed%2Dto%2Drecord%2Dand%2Dedit%2Dvideo
What kind of computer and lighting (and recording devices) do I need to record and edit video? I would like to know the minimum specs I need for a computer and lighting so I can get into making videos for my small business.<br>
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I have a small business and I'd like to use my iPad or iPhone to record short videos and then I would like to edit them (presumably on a computer). I am not looking to do anything extremely fancy. I just want to record nice-looking videos of 5-20 minutes in length, kind of like the decent-looking YouTube videos. I might also want to do webinars. I don't want it to look homemade, but I am just getting started and don't want to invest heavily, in case it is a bust. I'm just a small business.<br>
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I don't know what I need to set this up, in terms of a computer, recording device and lighting. I am in Canada, if that helps with referring me to stores. I was wondering how fast a computer I need. Right now, I have an older laptop and it kind of chokes if I try to edit a video in a trial version of Camtasia. (It is very, very choppy.) I don't have problems with streaming video. <br>
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Thanks in advance.tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.295680Thu, 12 May 2016 10:41:17 -0800Chaussette and the Pussy Cats"Great to see you again, Nancy! No, wait, Shona. No, Rob. Um..."http://ask.metafilter.com/294299/Great%2Dto%2Dsee%2Dyou%2Dagain%2DNancy%2DNo%2Dwait%2DShona%2DNo%2DRob%2DUm
How to recognise people when you're not good at recognising people? I am bad at recognising faces. Very, very bad. Have been known to spend the first half hour of films in total confusion because I can’t recognise the main character scene to scene (“is this a different storyline?” “No, that’s Tom Cruise again in a different outfit.”) Once failed to recognise my then-boyfriend because he was wearing a hat. That bad.<br>
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Over the years I have got a bit better at this, and I can sort of consciously ‘learn’ people’s faces if I see them regularly enough – “right, Sally has a longish face, nose that’s very narrow at the top, lots of smile lines round her eyes”, sort of thing. When I was teaching university students I had their student records with photos to help with this, which was handy – and I had other tricks up my sleeve, like noting down names on seating plans and getting people to use cardboard name-signs on the table for the first couple of weeks. <br>
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But now I’ve changed careers, and my classroom-based tricks aren’t helping so much. I get moved around different areas at work fairly regularly, I have meetings in different locations, and I need to build up networks of contacts and make links with people without having the advantage of student records systems or meeting people every day. <br>
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So, working from the assumption that even people who are good at faces find themselves in awkward why-is-this-apparent-stranger-calling-me-by-name? situations sometimes, I’m looking for any tips, techniques, or general advice you have about recognising and remembering people you don’t see every day.<br>
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(Also: we do have name badges at work! But alas, due to vision issues which are separate from the face recognition thing but probably don't help, I can't read anybody's unless I'm standing so close that it's very obvious I'm looking.)tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.294299Fri, 08 Apr 2016 03:53:37 -0800CatseyeAny good, scientifically-accurate media on retrograde amnesia?http://ask.metafilter.com/294042/Any%2Dgood%2Dscientifically%2Daccurate%2Dmedia%2Don%2Dretrograde%2Damnesia
Open to fiction and nonfiction; books, documentaries, podcast episodes, news articles, etc. Nothing that puts me to sleep, please. Would prefer newer works informed by the latest science and works that are more personal, emotional, and detailed, rather than removed, dry, and general. Also, while I realize anterograde amnesia is much more common, I'm really only interested in retrograde amnesia. What caused the RA does not matter.tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.294042Sat, 02 Apr 2016 02:18:23 -0800iamfantastikateMemory tips for pronounshttp://ask.metafilter.com/292876/Memory%2Dtips%2Dfor%2Dpronouns
I have a terrible memory and I don't want to misgender anyone! Do you have any memory tips for getting correct gender pronouns faster or more consistently? I very much want to use the correct pronouns for a person I am starting to work with, but my memory is overall awful and I am finding it difficult to override my misgendering perception of him. I want to unlearn this incorrect impression or at least shut it down before it escapes my mouth! I put a reminder for myself in my phone for before our next meeting, but I'm wondering if anyone else has thought of useful things that worked for you in this scenario. All I'm finding on Google are tips to remember names (not the problem) and how important it is not to misgender people (I know!).tag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.292876Fri, 04 Mar 2016 12:25:08 -0800monkeys with typewritersWant to make another and can't remember howhttp://ask.metafilter.com/291198/Want%2Dto%2Dmake%2Danother%2Dand%2Dcant%2Dremember%2Dhow
Crafty/Artistic mefites, please heed my request! I made this project many, many moons ago. I want to make another, but I can't remember 2 crucial things. Pics and details inside... I made a few of <a href="http://i63.tinypic.com/25gxc9e.jpg">these bottles with beach shells and sand</a> as mementos for each of a group of friends who went on a vacation together (over 20 years ago). I can no longer remember what liquid I used, except it's definitely <em>not</em> water, but something thicker, and obviously stable. Wondering if it could have been baby oil... The other aspect I haven't got a clear recollection of, is what I used to <a href="http://i67.tinypic.com/2qc2srr.jpg">seal the cork</a>. As you can see, it's clear, hard, and glossy; and has held up fine for over two decades.<br>
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I'd like to make something similar; please help me recreate this cute little project!: so, 1) the liquid inside and 2) the sealant/epoxy at the openingtag:ask.metafilter.com,2016:site.291198Fri, 22 Jan 2016 11:59:43 -0800dancing leavesNot my bed filter: memory foam/smaller mattress survival tips?http://ask.metafilter.com/289971/Not%2Dmy%2Dbed%2Dfilter%2Dmemory%2Dfoam%2Dsmaller%2Dmattress%2Dsurvival%2Dtips
For the next week, my partner and I will have to sleep on queen/full sized memory foam mattresses. Both are (as far as I can tell) reasonably high quality products, but A) I'm a stomach sleeper who hates memory foam, and B) partner is a flailer who moves around a lot. We normally sleep on a latex foam king. I'd like to be decently rested so I'm not a grumpy holiday houseguest. Hope me? Apologies if I'm rambling; I'm posting this from yet another early AM wake-up with neck and shoulder pain after my partner moved around, causing the middle of the bed to sink down for a second as the foam was depressed. I am desperate for any tips to survive and sleep on memory foam mattresses for a short period of time. My normal mode of sleeping is on a medium-firm latex mattress, stomach sleeper (sometimes stomach/side), extremely flat pillow that I just rest my forehead on, several weighty blankets tucked aloud me in a cocoon so that none of my partner's movements affect my comfy pocket of warm air. On memory foam, my abdomen sinks in if I'm sleeping on my stomach, and it increases the angle my neck is bent back at. If I try sleeping on my side, similar problem - my hips sink in too much and my top hip starts hurting from the extra bend. I feel like I could maybe address this with more pillows, but A) the mattress is already kind of hot and B) we're short on space due to the aforementioned flailing partner (who's shifted around about 12 times in his sleep during the time it took me to write this). Hope me, Metafilter. I feel like if I could address at least 1 or 2 of these issues I'd be sleeping a fair bit better (though not great), so I'm open to any and all tips, up to and including making a bed on the floor and swearing partner to secrecy around our family members.tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.289971Tue, 22 Dec 2015 04:29:46 -0800deludingmyselfOn losing my way...with words.http://ask.metafilter.com/288054/On%2Dlosing%2Dmy%2Dwaywith%2Dwords
I used to be a decent writer growing up. I could write things in two hours that would take other people weeks while in school. Ideas.... mental outlines... of what a certain piece of writing would look and sound like would spontaneously form in my head, sometimes down to specific wording. Suddenly, I would get a burst of energy and write until there was nothing left. Now even writing an email feels like pulling teeth. What's wrong with me? YANMD. I'm not talking about a block in creativity. It feels like my *access* to my ( healthy) vocabulary and my ability to plan and structure wording and thought is often hampered, even when writing decidedly straightforward things like a cover letter or an email to a professional contact. It's as if my brain is stuttering, and I hit a block. Writing anything from scratch is now a chore that leaves me exhausted. I wasn't this way before.<br>
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Prozac improved this for a very euphoric six months, years ago. Never since. No other antidepressant has done anything, nor have stimulants. I have normal bloodwork. An MRI of my brain, unremarkable with the exception of certain artifacts of my cerebral palsy, was done less than a year ago. Crucially, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinpocetine">Vinpocetine</a> , which is purported to enhance cerebral blood flow, used to make a world of difference. It still helps, though not nearly as much. Caffeine sometimes does too ( it's the way I was able to write this question), but minimally. <br>
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What's going on here? I'm thinking there's a vascular issue in my brain, but the thought of looking too deeply into that abyss freaks me out. If it matters, I'm 25. <br>
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Has anyone else experienced this? Can you understand what I've struggled to explain here? Is there any hope of getting my mind back?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.288054Thu, 05 Nov 2015 11:13:07 -0800marsbar77Tricks for remembering names and contexthttp://ask.metafilter.com/287564/Tricks%2Dfor%2Dremembering%2Dnames%2Dand%2Dcontext
I have a problem with remembering people's names. I've read previous posts on the topic and generally I can smilingly apologise and say, "Hey, I'm sorry but I am terrible with names." But my bigger problem is that I meet people in many contexts that don't overlap and all require various levels of professionalism. I don't mind apologising for forgetting their name, but to then add, "...and <i>how</i> do we know each other?" is veering into rudeness. Suggestions?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.287564Sun, 25 Oct 2015 03:57:49 -0800tracicleHow to improve memory?http://ask.metafilter.com/287549/How%2Dto%2Dimprove%2Dmemory
I'm wanting to improve my rote memory and not sure exactly how or where to start. I think my memory seems to have weaken these past few months. I would like to attempt to improve it, if there are any tips. Chiefly on how to improve remembering bits of information and ideas (with lecture notes and literature). Just wondering: what has worked for you? In terms of diet, multivitamins, books, exercise, mind maps, sleeping, et cetera. Are there things to avoid to improve memory? Frankly, I wonder if GMO foods have an impact on slowing my memory down as well. <br>
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Thanks,<br>
RearWindowtag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.287549Sat, 24 Oct 2015 14:01:49 -0800RearWindowIf nobody even remembers the tree falling, did it fall?http://ask.metafilter.com/287509/If%2Dnobody%2Deven%2Dremembers%2Dthe%2Dtree%2Dfalling%2Ddid%2Dit%2Dfall
Is there a philosophical term for this concept: If something has occurred in the past, but nobody remembers it, can you say with certainty that it happened? Or is this just a variant on "if a tree falls in a forest, and nobody hears it..." I often find that:<br>
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* I have a memory of something. For argument's sake, assume there's no tangible evidence -- no records, no photos, etc.<br>
* But friends and family have <strong>no</strong> memory of it. To them, this thing, this moment, does not exist.<br>
* Alternately, I have a memory of something, but no way to contact other people that could have possibly shared that memory with me. They might remember it. But I can never know, and even if I did, it wouldn't matter. For all intents and purposes <em>in my life</em>, I'm the only one that knows this thing happened in a way that's relevant <em>to me.</em><br>
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In these cases, could you say these things ever happened?<br>
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Has a philosopher ever wrestled with this concept?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.287509Fri, 23 Oct 2015 12:56:00 -0800Cool Papa BellStudying without notetakinghttp://ask.metafilter.com/287229/Studying%2Dwithout%2Dnotetaking
What are effective ways of memorizing written material (i.e. studying for an exam) without taking notes by hand? Have you successfully switched from taking handwritten notes and making diagrams to some other method? I have an old RSI in my dominant wrist and forearm that <em>was</em> quiet for a bit, but has flared up again, and is making it difficult to grasp or grip things like pens and highlighters without pain. I can type (in an idiosyncratic way) with <em>less</em> pain, but not for extended periods. I definitely can no longer make the kinds of margin notes that I've <em>heavily</em> relied on in the past to process dense material and put it to memory. <br>
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I really feel I get more out of reading and physically marking up a printed article than I do from reading it electronically. I'm worried I won't be able to engage with the stuff as deeply, or trust my memory of it, without my notes and doodles and diagrams and colours (I need those visual cues!). (Same for writing I'll have to do later :/) I guess this makes me a visual and kinaesthetic learner? Or maybe I need to layer multiple kinds of associations? Or maybe I <em>don't</em> and just think I do? I don't know :/<br>
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So what are effective substitutes for people who study this way?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.287229Sat, 17 Oct 2015 09:22:58 -0800cotton dress sockIt's knot a mental block, or is it?http://ask.metafilter.com/283382/Its%2Dknot%2Da%2Dmental%2Dblock%2Dor%2Dis%2Dit
I'm trying to learn hitches, knots for times when I need them but failing miserably..halp! There are many times when I'm loading lumber or other miscellaneous stuff from the home center in my truck and I need to secure it. I've tried for years to learn the trucker's hitch just for this purpose but I can never remember how to do it, even 10 minutes after I practiced it for an hour. <br>
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I have a book on knots and I go through it trying to learn them but I simply cannot retain how to do them. Even if I do remember them for a week or so, invariably when I get in the parking lot with a bunch of crap to secure I have no clue how to tie them down! What is going on? I'm beginning to think I have early stages of alzheimer's. Is there a better way to learn this?<br>
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What's odd is I can remember in detail how to thread a projector from a movie theater I worked in for 6 months 30 years ago! Or commands from emacs I learned 25 years ago and used maybe for 3 months. Halp!!tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.283382Fri, 24 Jul 2015 08:17:02 -0800dukes909Medium-term memoryhttp://ask.metafilter.com/282557/Medium%2Dterm%2Dmemory
How do I improve my medium-term memory? I have all my notes to reference from today, and in two weeks my work turns over. How to remember everything in-between? Maybe this is a recall issue. I work in a sales capacity of a sort where at any given time 30 or so projects/leads are on my desk, with associated details (client, dates, people attached to project). These projects move off my desk and on to someone else's in about two weeks or so, at which point I don't need to really have a working knowledge of the project anymore. The problem is, I need to have all this info imprinted in my brain within a day or two of receiving it to keep up with everyone else.<br>
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I keep copious notes and am very organized with all this information, but when in calls/meetings with the rest of my team, I am not able to immediately call up details from memory when asked for. I can pull them up from my notes/records in front of me, but others on my team are able to recall them from memory or in casual conversation. I just can't actively remember information, and I don't have the time to 'study' my notes before what I learn becomes irrelevant and the projects move forward to another team. <br>
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I almost feel like maybe writing everything down and organizing it allows my brain to not immediately retain it, but I absolutely must keep these records whether it serves my memory well or not. <br>
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I'm this way in my personal life too. I keep a nice tight calendar and daily to-do list, but I am screwed if I lose those because I can't remember any of it. <br>
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Any suggestions here?tag:ask.metafilter.com,2015:site.282557Mon, 06 Jul 2015 15:36:34 -0800greta simone